Reference voltages have a broad appliability to several aspects of solid state electronics. Voltage regulators, analog-to-digital converters and digital-to-analog converters are some examples which require high precision reference voltages for optimum operation.
One problem has been observed in that the output of a reference will tend to vary with changing temperature. This has been attributed to the physical properties of the components used. This temperature variation has a linear component as well as a non-linear component. For example, see the Robert J. Widlar article entitled "Low Voltage Techniques" presented Feb. 17, 1978 at the I.E.E.E. International Solid State Circuits Conference.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a circuit which compensates for the non-linear temperature caused variation in a reference voltage.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a circuit readily fabricated in a conventional integrated circuit manner which will compensate for non-linear as well as linear variations caused by temperature fluctuations.